News Summary
Evergreen Public Schools has announced a cancellation of classes due to an ongoing strike by the Public School Employees of Washington Union. The strike stems from unresolved contract negotiations, with demands for higher wages and better compensation for staff. Approximately 1,400 workers are impacted, leading to concerns about student support. While the district offers free lunch during the closure, mediation meetings are ongoing to reach a resolution. The situation highlights the challenges of securing fair wages and conditions in public education.
Vancouver — Evergreen Public Schools announced that there will be no school on Wednesday, Sept. 3, due to an ongoing strike by the Public School Employees of Washington (PSE) Union. This decision comes as contract negotiations between the district and the union remain unresolved, marking the second delay in the start of the school year for the district.
The strike is primarily a result of the PSE Union’s demands for higher wages and better compensation for work that goes beyond contracted hours. The union represents approximately 1,400 workers, which includes bus drivers, IT workers, paraprofessionals, and other classroom support staff. Many of these employees are part-time and are restricted to specific working hours, following a “bell-to-bell” policy where they are only compensated for the time students are present in school.
The Evergreen School District is attempting to provide additional time for bargaining teams to negotiate an agreement. Recent proposals from the district have included pay increases of 4.5% for paraprofessionals, 3.5% for transportation staff, and 2.5% for service workers. However, these increases have been rejected by the PSE Union, which claims the proposed raises are insufficient to ensure staff retention.
The impact of the strike has already begun to be felt within the district, as evidenced by the absence of 10 paraeducators at a local school, raising concerns about adequate student support during this critical time. Despite having the option to work under their previous contract for an entire year, union leaders have opted to strike, emphasizing the need for further negotiations.
During this ongoing closure, the district has announced plans to provide free lunch for students at designated pickup locations. Families are being updated daily regarding the status of school operations, as the district hopes to reach an agreement that would allow students to return to classes as soon as possible.
The union leadership has also raised concerns about the increasing costs of insurance which threaten to outpace the proposed salary increases. In light of this, mediation meetings are scheduled to continue, with hopes that a resolution will be found soon.
As the situation develops, it remains uncertain when classes will resume. The district has expressed a commitment to negotiating in good faith while addressing the concerns raised by union members.
The ongoing strike underscores the challenges faced in public education labor relations, particularly in securing fair wages and working conditions for all staff members. As the negotiation process unfolds, the focus remains on achieving a satisfactory outcome for both the district and its employees.
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Additional Resources
- KATU News
- Wikipedia: Teacher Strike
- KGW News
- Google Search: Evergreen Public Schools Strike
- KPTV News
- Google Scholar: Education Union Negotiations
- Washington State Standard
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Public Education
- KOIN News
- Google News: Evergreen Public Schools
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